Bryan Collier is a four-time Caldecott Honor recipient known for his distinct illustrations combining watercolor and collage. His work has brought historic figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Roberto Clemente, and President Barack Obama to life. Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery, is a forthcoming book illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Sandra Neil Wallace a former ESPN sportscaster and award-winning children’s book author.

When Ernie Barnes was growing up in South Carolina in the 1950s, he loved to draw. Even when he played as a boy with his friends he drew with a stick in the mud. But in the segregated south, Ernie didn’t know how to make a living as an artist. Ernie grew tall and athletic and became a football star. Soon enough the colleges came calling. Still, in his heart Ernie longed to paint. Would that day ever come?

Ernie Barnes (1938 – 2009) was one of the most important artists of his time, known for his style of elongation and movement. His work has influenced a generation of painters and illustrators and can be found in museums and collections, such as the African American Museum in Philadelphia and the California African American Museum. This enchanting picture book tells the little-known, yet inspiring story of a man who made his mark in two very different worlds.